The Cornelius surname finds its earliest origins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name is derived from Cornelius, a given name that came to England in the 15th or 16th century from Holland or Belgium. The names Cornelius and Cornelia were popular in the Low Countries because the relics of St. Cornelius, a Pope from the third century, were kept at the Chapter of Rosnay, in Flanders.

Early Origins of the Cornelius family

The surname Cornelius was first found in Essex, where they held a family seat from the Middle Ages.

Early History of the Cornelius family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cornelius research.Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1354, 1568, 1575, and 1664 are included under the topic Early Cornelius History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cornelius Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Cornelius are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Cornelius include: Cornelius, Cornelis, Cornellis, Cornelys and others.

Early Notables of the Cornelius family (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early Cornelius Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cornelius family to the New World and Oceana

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Cornelius or a variant listed above:

Cornelius Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Aaron Cornelius, who landed in New York in 1645 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

Eleanor Cornelius, who landed in Maryland in 1651 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

Robert Cornelius, who arrived in Virginia in 1657 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

Margaret Cornelius, who landed in Maryland in 1658 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

Alicia Cornelius, who arrived in Maryland in 1658 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

Cornelius Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Christian Cornelius, who landed in New Jersey in 1730 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

Elizabeth Cornelius to Philadelphia in 1733

Elizabeth Cornelius, aged 20, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

Peter Cornelius, who landed in America in 1733 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

Vronicke Cornelius, aged 8, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1733 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

Cornelius Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Francis Cornelius, who arrived in New York in 1836 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

William Cornelius, aged 27, who arrived in Missouri in 1848 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

Sam Cornelius, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

T Cornelius, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

F Cornelius, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

Richard Cornelius, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Royal Admiral" in 1838 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ROYAL ADMIRAL 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838RoyalAdmiral.htm

Thomas Cornelius, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "British Sovereign" in 1847 [4]CITATION[CLOSE]State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BRITISH SOVEREIGN 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847BritishSovereign.htm

Jennifer Cornelius, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "British Sovereign" in 1847 [4]CITATION[CLOSE]State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BRITISH SOVEREIGN 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847BritishSovereign.htm

Manny Cornelius, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "British Sovereign" in 1847 [4]CITATION[CLOSE]State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BRITISH SOVEREIGN 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847BritishSovereign.htm

William Cornelius, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Forfarshire" in 1848 [5]CITATION[CLOSE]State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Forfarshire 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Forfarshire.htm

Contemporary Notables of the name Cornelius (post 1700)

Samuel Cornelius, American music producer, who founded Sun Records in 1952

Carl August Peter Cornelius (1824-1874), German composer, writer about music, poet and translator

Alvin Robert Cornelius (1903-1991), Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan from 1960 to 1968

Donald Cortez "Don" Cornelius (1936-2012), American television show host and producer who created and was the host of Soul Train (1971 to 1993)

Peter Cornelius (1824-1874), German composer

Historic Events for the Cornelius family

HMS Royal Oak

Herbert Julian Cornelius (1914-1939), British Surgeon Lieutenant with the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve aboard the HMS Royal Oak when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking [6]CITATION[CLOSE]Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html

Citations

^ Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)